Various elastomeric and rubber compositions are utilized in a wide variety of industrial applications and mechanical devices. Consequently, numerous elastomeric compositions have been developed in order to tailor the properties of the elastomeric compositions for particular uses. One industrial utilization of elastomeric compositions which has given rise to the formulation of numerous types of compositions is the utilization of elastomeric or rubber compositions in the damping of vibration and noise created by various devices. A vibration damping rubber composition, for example, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,828 and is described to contain a synthetic rubbery polymer, finely divided siliceous powder, and a hydroxy-terminated diorganopolysiloxane.
Other modified elastomeric compositions are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,891,923 which describes the incorporation of thermally stable silicone oils into various rubber compositions. U.S. Pat. No. 3,355,399 discloses the reinforcement of an organic latex polymer with silsesquioxanes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,725 describes a rubber composition containing an EPM or EPDM rubber, an organopolysiloxane, a finely divided silica filler, and a polyoxyethylene glycol.
Many of the previously developed modified elastomeric compositions such as those described above have not been found to be useful at providing vibration or noise damping characteristics over a broad temperature range. While some of the previously developed compositions may provide adequate damping characteristics at moderate temperatures, many of these compositions become too stiff at low temperatures and/or become too flexible at high temperatures to provide consistent damping throughout a broad temperature range. A need therefore exists for an organic elastomer composition which can provide damping characteristics throughout a broad temperature range.